The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-03-24
Is 1t a Key-Note i?


District of Columbia in Washington city.
n the course of his remarks, he is report
d III the papers as having nominated
Ion. John S. Barbour for the United
tates Senate, land saying that his election to
hat position would be the leading issue
efore the people in the election in NO
-ember next, and that tariff reform, Blair
,ill and river and harbor bills would be
elegated to the rear" From this it must
70 assumed that the Democratic party
will consider Mr.. Barbour political aspi-
'ations paramount to all State interests,
which the Legislature will have to deal
With, and that Mr.. Barbour is bigger and
greater than the State itself. We are not
at this announcement OF Judge
Goolrick. We have been looking for
''key- note' from some Democratic source,
and the mapping out Of line OF pollcy |
that would essay to obscure the practical
issues pertinent to the fail campaign and
the record of that party both in Congress
and in the Legislature. We have 1t IN the
announcement of Judge Goodrich. Every
interest IN the State is to be made secon-
dairy to the aspirations and ambition OF
one man, and the people are to be called
upon to worship at the feet OF Mr.. Bar
bour as their Golden Calf-to forget eve
rything else relating to their real inter-
ests and blindly follow the lead of few
conspiring politicians who would view
with stolid complacency world in wreck
if upon the ruins they could advance to
place and power. The material advance
ment of the State and Countrywide con-
tentment and comfort Of the laboring
masses our industrial growth and deyel-
ment the education of the poor children
of the Commonwealth : the Improvement
of our navigable streams and the extern
sion Of inland commerce, are n0thlng TO
the Democratic party, or to the people
of Virginia, in Mr.. Gpolrick's estimation,
in comparison with John S. Barbour and
his claims upon his Democratic partizans.
The election of John S. barbour to the
Senate of the United States is to be the
Demo cratic keynote next fall, and all
things else counted as nothing in the
presence of his ambition. 1t is We'll
enough that this announcement has been
made so far in advance of the excitement
and contention of an active political cam
paign. 1t will prepare the people for it.
They will not be taken by surprise, but
will have time to think whether the citl-
Zens of Virginia are so much indebted TO
John S. Barbour that he is to be consid-
cred greater than the State-more lmpor'
tant than all her pressing .interests-of
more concern than the welfare OF the
masses, and the progress and prosperity Of
q million and half of people who consti
tute the Commonwealth. 1t certainly gives
| Mr.. Barbour an altitude among men phe
nomenal. 1t is species of man-worshiI
of human exaltation-to which we have
not been accustomed, and will be a fail
test of the intelligent manhood and indie
pendent thought of the voters of Virginia
Il they should declare themselves to 81
willing slaves to do the bidding of tn
scheming satellites who buzz about plac'
and power for the pelf that is in them
the mercenary gains that may be exec
from them-then may it be expected tina
, they will forget all things else pertaining
to the true welfare Of Virginia in an in
sane craze for the promotion Of the polit
: zeal ambition of a very ordinary man
, when statesmen are mentioned. and on
whose record in Congress has not been il
accord with the interests of the people an
which cannot commend him as demi-go
: to be entitled to the obsequious worship
brave and self-respecting constituency
If the issue is to be John S. Barbou
a-ains. the State of Virginia, let it come
, for that is about the substance of Judg
: Goolric.z S proposition. If it is to be Sens
; tor John S. Barbour, or the promotion Q
the commercial educational and industrial
interests of Virginia, let the lines bs
drawn broadly and boldly SO that all ca
, see and understand, and make choice
!, knowingly and Understandings. And the
if IL e man is to be held up as greater tina
the State and all her material concern
| and the people say sit is well, let it be SC
But do not let it go to.the country that tn
voters of this Commonwealth are tn
slaves of any one man until they them
J selves have so declared.